Shakur Stevenson will defend his WBC lightweight title against Josh Padley

On Saturday, February 22, 2025, Shakur Stevenson will defend his WBC lightweight title against Josh Padley in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Padley stepping in on just three days’ notice.

The fight is part of the undercard for the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 event at Kingdom Arena. Stevenson, with an undefeated record of 22-0 (10 KOs), was originally set to face Floyd Schofield Jr., but Schofield withdrew due to illness, having been hospitalized earlier this week.

Padley, also unbeaten at 15-0 (4 KOs), a 29-year-old from Doncaster, England, was quickly approved as the replacement by the WBC and the British Boxing Board of Control. He’s coming off a notable upset win over Mark Chamberlain in September 2024 on the Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois undercard at Wembley Stadium.

This is a massive step up for Padley, who works part-time as an electrician, against Stevenson, a three-division world champion ranked among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. The short notice adds an extra layer of intrigue to what’s already a stacked card airing live on DAZN.